Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) Photos

Panzerkampfwagen 38(t)

Walkaround Photo Gallery

Panzerkampfwagen 38(t)

(Light tank)

The Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) was a conventional pre-World War II tank design, with riveted armor and rear engine. It was a Czechoslovakian tank and was named TNHP-S. After the invasion of Czechoslovakia by German forces, the tank was adopted by the German Army due to insufficient production of German tanks to meet the war requirement.

It was called the Panzerkampfwagen 38(t), with 38 signifying the year of introduction and "t" for "Tschechisch", meaning Czech in German. Over 1,400 units were manufactured until 1942, where it saw extensive service in France and then the Russian front, namely in the Battle of Kursk in the summer of 1942.

The riveted construction of the tank made it different from German-made tanks. While riveted design was simpler and cheaper than welded steel, but a direct hit from an antitank round was usually fatal for the crew as the rivets bolted out acting as deadly projectiles.

Armament consisted of a 37mm main gun with 42 rounds and two machine guns (one mounted coaxially on the turret and the other in the front hull). Power was supplied by a Praga EPA 125hp engine.